Automatic gate for railways



Aug. 28, 192s. 1,682,573

v M. J. KOVACS AUTOMATIC GATE FOR RAILWAYS Filed May ll, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 [I8 /7 f`\`\ 1W/f?) NM TA., 1# 0R y ATTORNEYj Aug. 28, 1928.

M. J. KOVACS AUTOMATIC GATE FOR RAILWAYS Filed May ll, 1927 '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 28, 1928.

UNITI-:D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

mY'J. KOVACS, 0F ST. CLAIBSVILLE, OHIO.

AUTOMATIC GATE For:l nAILWaYs.,H

Application led May 11. 419117. Serial No. 190,463.

This invention relates to automatic gates for grade crossings, and has for its object to provide an ap aratus of this character in which `the guar or closure elements are actuated by means of electro-magnets acting throu h a novel lever mechanism.

fication and claims: and are illustrated in the accompanynigidrawngs, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a front elevation of the gate with the closureielements in their lowered positions U u y Fig. 2 shows a plan view of a grade crossng-withthe gates in position onboth sides of the tracks.

F ig. 3 shows a .Wirmgdiagram for the installation as shawnk above, ,the arrangement being for a double traclrrailroad.`

Ff 4 shows theV locationof the contact switiies with respect to the rails on av single track roarik i.

Fig. 5 shows anenlai; frontview of the operatingelements ,wit ina casing which rests upon a coller-eta pedestal.

Fig. 6 shows. a `plan view in section on the l linges-.6 of Figure 5 Fig. 7 shows the lower ortioii of a locomotive fender ormw ca er, Wlthiatrlke bar mounted t crean.

Fig1 8 shows a. rear .can (platform with a,

strike` bar l0i Somewhat longer vfllfmiusions mountedfthereen i Fig.9 .shows an, enlarged fragmentary view of a railroad track with top v1ew of aicontact switch mounted thereon,A 1nsulated therefronu A. portion of the `cover guard is cut away ,tmdisclose the contact plate... Y

Fig'l() shows a Lfrontelevation ,ofi the switch `as illustrated in Figure Before giving/.a detailed 4 escription of the device,. I wishto emphasize certain features no oflpartsular importance in relation thereto.

1inst: gates are automatically operatedby means vtheevy -Selenoid magnets as seen at 15 in `Figure 5. Their nmtiombeing retardedV by compression cylinders `as that .ma at am the sam New other objects andl advantages Second z The Q gate element on the ingoing side aslseen at 1 in Figure 1, is designed `to 4close in advance of the outgoing gate ele-V ment as seen at 18. The reason for this,;is

that while it is desirable to stop vehicles approaching the track as promptly as possible, it is also importantthat any similarl vehicle which might be on the track at the moment of Athe gate closing, would by reason of the lretarded action of the outgoing gate have` ample time to Apass out ,fromt the guarded area.

Third: The contact switch as seen at 19 in Figure 3 Whichis operated to close the gates on the approach offatrain, is thrown by contact with a strike bar ,as seen mi2()f in Figure 7 onthe front part ofthe engine', but the contact switch 21 in Figure .3 which acts tore-open the gates, `is actuated by contact with a strikebar 24 asseen in Figure 8,:this

being attachedto tlierearplatforinof the last car of a train. e It, will beseenthat this arrangement providesforjtheclosing of the I gates well iii-advance of Ethe, arrivalwpf the train at the crossing, but OIIIyppeDs/thern again after the last carhas passed to a point of safety. Fourth In anl installationl at. a crossing having` double tracksfitis obvious that should a train approachy from the rightiand another train `approach from the left afew moments later, the gates, would,;be, closed by the first train and would be. opened again as soon` as it had passed the crossing, unless means were provided to keepithein cl sed until the `second train hadPSSed. Otilier `wise theywouldbeopenedlas soon asthe first tra-in had passed, butat'a timewhen'the secondtrainwas close to thecrossing.; This would, of course, plOd-lce disaster, as vehicles would at. once start to cross thel tracks. This difficulty is solved in the devioehere shownuby the provision of theV ,magnetic switches as Seen in YFigure 3, at22 and23. It. will he seen that as both ofthese switches supply current to the magnet 15 and its companion magnet 24, these magnets `will remain energized until both switches have been opened. Thatis, thefrst train will/ close the gates, and on passing will openfthe release switch for its owntrackybutme switch for the op ositetrack,F being .stil1 closed. will keert e magnets l5 end a `energized and the -ates 1closed until opened the meine@ :mantenerme 1 lim loo'

pivotally supported 4atBLl and 35 and are slotted as seen at 3G. The segment 30 is toothed along itsiipper arc as seen at 37, but blank below that' point; It will thus b e seen that 'whenfactuated,'it closes the gate at once and then moves freely toit-s upper position.

4The segmentvl, however, is toothed on its lower are as seen at 38 and when moved, does not engage the gategear until the center of its `movement is reached. The right hand elementsare counterweighted as Vseen at 39 and the'left elements as shown atr40, the left counterweig'htbeing directly on the gate element as there are no gear teeth in mesh to" hold the gate in its upper position, as is 'y the case onthe right hand side.

. Both levers are moved' by theY stud 43 which is'onfthe bar 44. This bar being secured to the plunger of the operating mag net v15l at the bottom and to the connecting rod of the compression cylinder 16 atthe top. It is guided bythe Ylug 45. rlhe compression cyilinder has a vent as seen at 46 anda piston .The right approach switch 22 is thrown by the opposedmagnets 48 and 49 and the left approach switch 23, by the' magnets 50 'and 5A. t p f The casing 27 is supported by v y a base 5,2, preferably of concrete, or the like. l yLower guard railsr 52 and 53j seen inF ig- ,l urel, are attached tothe gate elements;

v Referring now to Figure `'7,"the advance strike bar 2O` has a foot L56 and is pivotaliy secured to its upper element. Itis held in "its central position by the springs `57 and 58.

The bar isy sup'portedkby a socketpla'te 59 from which it may be removed by 'sliding upward. `The. said plate is secured to the lower rail if the engine fender `(i0. i

The release strikebar is shown Vin Figure y3 :1h24 and isprovided with a foot piece'l similar to'that ofthe bar 20. `It is pivotally mounted on a supporting member 62 which is lsecured to the' car platform 42 by a socket niember'63 in the same manner as that first described. Itis held in centralized tension bythe fork members 64k and `G5 and the springs@thereto4 attached. y' Reibrring'toFigures 9 and 100i the drawings, the contact switch 21 is secured to' the rail G6 and insulated'therefrom as shown at (S7. A vertical mem'ber`68 has `'secured thereto the contact plate 69 which is insulated at its hase end as shown at 70. v 'lhe vertical member GSpasses beyond and covers the free end ofthe said contact plate.

A protective gua-rd 7l willich is preferably of wood, covers the contact elements at the top. It will be seen that a strike bar approaching the end of the switch nearest to the track will engage the contact plate and close the electric circuit at that point, while a similar har approachingthe opposite end of the said switch will strike 'thehack of the Avertical member (3S and he shunted to one side where it will pass without allectingthe said circuit.

` In the wiring diagram in Figure 3, the right hand rails"areseen at 82 and 83 and Ithe lett hand rails at 84 and 85. The source of currentsupply is indicated at 8G. An

`approaching train closes the contact switchl 19 -and energizes the magnet 49 winch closes the switch '22 and energizes the operating magnets n15 and 24 which are wired in multiple. lVhen the rear strikebar lengages the contact switch 21, the magnet 48'is enert gized and opens the switch 22 which releases the operating magnets 15 and 24 and opens .the gates.

The magnets 50 and j51, with the switch 23k are also operated in the manner' above described by a train approaching from the left and lcontacting with the switches 8G and Referring to the diagram in Figure 4, it will be seen thatY any advance strike bar as 56 contacts .with the switch" 19 vto close the circuit, ,but on reaching the switch 87 would strike the guard member and be deflected on the innerside leaving the switch open,

` while the rear strike bar 61 would similarly inner side ofthefswitch 8G.M

Bell, or lamp signals maybe operated in conjunctionV `with the gate operation, 1f

close the switch 21, but ypass :'re'ely `onthe desired.

While I have shownthe referred embodiment of my invention, I o notwish to be held rigidly'to the'exac't details of form and construction as illustrated, but' claim the right to such minor modifications as may comel within' the scope of 'the appended claims. t t

Having thuskdescribed my invention, what lIclaim'afs new and desire to secure by Let- 'ters Patent, is as follows:

. 1. In a device of the class described, thefm,

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gates connected with the gears immediately upon motion ofthe levers, and the other segments being provided with teeth along their lower arc portions, meshable with the 4other gears after a certain amount of free motion for lowerino the gates connected with these gears a slort time after initial motion of the levers, and a means connected with the free ends of the said levers for moving the levers in unison.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination, with pivotally mounted gate elements, of gears secured to the said gate elements, coaxial with the pivot points, a means for normally holding the gate in raised position, levers pivotally mounted intermediate of their ends, segments formed on one of the ends of the levers, certain of these segments being provided withV teeth along their upper arc portions, meshing with certain of the said gears for lowering the' gates connected with these gears .immediately upon motion of the levers, and the other segments bemg provided with teeth along their lower arc portions, meshable with the other il gears after a certain amount of free motion for lowering the gates connected with these i MARY J. KOVACS.

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